Alkaloid compound



Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES ATENT FFiCE ALKALOID COMPOUND States No Drawing. Application August 16, 1937, Serial No. 159,327

2 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30,

This application is made under the act approved March 3, 1883, as amended by the act of April 30, 1928, and the invention herein described, if patented, may be manufactured and used by 5 or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

I hereby dedicate the invention herein described to the free use of the People of the 10 United States to take eifect on the granting of a patent to me.

This invention relates to new compounds resulting from the reaction of the fatty acids of drying oils with vegetable alkaloids (nicotine, quinine and strychnine).

15 I have found that the fatty acids of drying oils (tung, linseed, fish and soybean) react with vegetable alkaloids (nicotine, quinine and strychnine) to form new and useful compounds. The reaction is preferably carried out in the presence 2 of a common solvent of the two reactants, for example, ethyl alcohol. It was found that the compounds formed are insoluble in water but usually soluble in ethyl alcohol.

In the practice of this invention, commercial 25 crude oil is saponified with the requisite amount of an aqueous alkali solution and the resulting soap solution is broken up by adding a slight excess of mineral acid, and heating. The lower mineral acid layer is then drawn ofi and the 3 remaining fatty acids washed with water until free of the mineral acid. A portion of the alkaloid is weighed into a vessel and an equivalent amount of the fatty acids added. If the alkaloid is a di-acid base, two molecules of fatty acid per molecule of base are used, and if the alkaloid is a mono-acid base, one molecule of fatty acid per molecule of base is used. The

reaction is facilitated by the addition of an appropriate solvent in which the two reactants are soluble. Ethyl alcohol was found to be such a solvent. Upon completion of the reaction, the solvent may be removed by evaporation as may any excess of the alkaloid if it is volatile.

These fatty acid-alkaloid substances are nonvolatile, heavy, viscous, sticky fluids, insoluble in Water but soluble in alcohol. Upon treatment of these substances with an alkaline solution, the free alkaloid is liberated and the fatty acid combines with the alkali to give a. soap in solution.

The nicotine-fatty acid compound can be used as an insecticide. It has certain advantages in that it is insoluble in water and has adhesive properties.

The strychnine-fatty acid compound can be used as the free alkaloid as a poison for predatory animals and in medicine.

The quinine compound can be used as the free alkaloid. It appears quite useful as an ingredient in anti-sunburn ointment as it prevents the absorption of most of the ultra-violet rays which cause painful sunburn. (Dr. Th. Ruemele, Salts of Quinine in Cosmetic Compounds Seifeuseider-Ztg., volume 64, page 138, February 24, 1937.)

Having thus described my invention, what I claim for Letters Patent is:

1. A compound consisting of the water insoluble product of the reaction between fatty acids derived from drying oils and an alkaloid.

2. Acompound consisting of the product of the reaction between the fatty acids of the group of drying oils and an alkaloid.

ROBERT S. MCKINNEY. 

